All posts for the month August, 2015

It is worth being aware that New Zealand lies right where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide. Because of this, there is much activity underneath your feet.

I was asked to become a fire warden at work…when I agreed, little did I know that this would miraculously translate to being a general disaster warden…I dare say my face fell when I realised I might not be first out of the building.

Anyway, here we go on a series of helpful hints on avoiding or managing disastrous situations with Earthquakes…

Likely Consequences of an Earthquake

Glass will shatter, ceiling tiles will fall, objects which are not secured may slide or topple. Water and sewerage mains will be broken. Electricity and gas will fail. Roads and railway lines will be unusable for up to three days maybe longer.

Minimise the Risk

Keep heavy sharp objects near the floor where they cannot fall on you.

Remember – DROP, COVER, HOLD…

DROP down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling and allows you to still move if necessary.

COVER your head and neck (and entire body if possible) under a sturdy table. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall on you) and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.

HOLD on to your shelter (or your position to protect your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.

When the Shaking Stops

Put out fires if possible. Check for electrical and gas hazards. Turn off the water, gas and electricity. DO NOT GO OUTSIDE unless you are placed in danger by remaining indoors. Outside the hazards may be worse such as falling glass or masonry.

For those of you who read my posts regularly, you will perhaps have noted how over time I have gained something of an interest in the conservation efforts which occur in New Zealand on an ongoing basis. It is interesting to note how man has noted the impact he has caused on native wildlife since arriving here and is taking steps to try to avert the devastation…would that man the world over would try to have similar thoughts and take similar actions although perhaps it is often too late.

On the edge of Wellington lies the pest-free “island” of Zealandia. The first mainland attempt to give native plant and animal species a chance to live in peace without the introduced threat of rats, stoats, possums etc. It truly gives a window into what NZ could be (and indeed once was) like…albeit it is only 20 years old and this is a long term project.

Similar to Sanctuary Mountain, near Hamilton (see previous post), you can see Kaka here, Tui, Tuatara, Robin…and also…Saddleback, Stitchbird, Bellbird, Shag, Kakariki (parakeets), Takahe and much more. It is built on a fault line which used to be the site of an old reservoir until someone noted that said water could flood Wellington in the event of an earthquake. When looking at these pictures it is worth bearing in mind some context…these birds are quite fearless…I was stood within touching distance of Kaka (native parrots), I was playing with a Robin in the leaf litter…it even sat on my shoe…and perhaps more sad…I was told that the world population of Takahe is around 250 so the two in the photo below (Puffin and T2 are their names) are just under 1% of the entire species. These birds eat grass and I was struggling to think of another bird that does likewise. Here is hoping that their numbers can recover!

Most of the birds are free to come and go as they please and are starting to spread out beyond the park. If you are ever in Wellington, give them your support! It really is a jewel in the conservation crown…click here to see their website.

Over the past 18 months or so I have had the privilege of seeing a number of live sporting events in New Zealand…

Vodafone Warriors Rugby League

World Cup Cricket (NZ vs Australia)

Sky City Breakers Basketball

ASB Football Premiership Grand Final

NZ International Football

Heineken Open Tennis

Aussie Rules (ANZAC day St Kilda game in Wellington in case you are confused)

OK, I haven’t seen the All Blacks (yet?) and I don’t much care for Rugby Union as a rule but what I will say is that the atmosphere at events with reasonable sized crowds is rather subdued as a rule. In the UK, at live sport, you generally get a loud volume and a degree of edginess thrown in. Not here. Crowds are almost too polite. Very unusual. You could almost hear a pin drop at the tennis at times…and the local sparrows were noticeable!

Incredibly, the best atmosphere has been the cricket (NZ won the game we saw – just – only to lose to the same opponents (the Aussies!) in the final) although the best entertainment value has to have been the basketball which as a sport I don’t care much for (to be honest, America, it is a dull sport!) but far better to be at the game where a party atmosphere is punctuated by the play!

To the North of Auckland lies the small village of Puhoi, home to a cheese factory that also makes great ice cream, and a pub which is very popular with bikers (it is strange to see very polite and well-behaved bikers but that seems to be the norm here!). There is also the Puhoi River winding its way through the village towards the Pacific coast. Here you can hire a kayak.

The highlights were undoubtedly the tranquility of the trip, the shag that appeared right in front of my kayak (and promptly went under again to avoid being hit) and the fact that it took me about an hour to stand up straight after 4 hours in the same position!

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